Airborne asbestos contamination in buildings is a significant environmental problem. Asbestos-containing material (ACM) in buildings is normally found in three forms: (1) sprayed or troweled on ceilings and walls; (2) in insulation around hot or cold pipes, ducts, boilers, and tanks; and (3) in a variety of other products such as ceiling and floor tiles and wall boards. In general, most of the ACM is friable and the disposal of the same, after removal, is a serious problem. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that removed ACM should be wrapped in six-mil plastic sheets or placed in plastic bags, labeled as asbestos waste, and transported to a solid waste site. A problem is involved in that much of the removed ACM may be wet and contaminated. When the plastic bags are stored one upon the other in a truck or the like, the lowermost bags are subjected to considerable pressure and the plastic bags may be punctured which may result in contaminated water and materials escaping from the bag. A further problem associated with the conventional plastic bag method of storing and transporting ACM is that the bags are extremely bulky due to the friable nature of the ACM.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method of storing and transporting friable asbestos-containing material.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of casting friable asbestos-containing material into a non-friable mass for storage or disposal.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of casting friable asbestos-containing material into a non-friable mass which greatly reduces the volume of the ACM.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of casting friable asbestos-containing material into a non-friable mass so that the mass may be easily stored and/or transported.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of casting friable asbestos-containing material into a non-friable mass which reduces the risk of environmental contamination.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of casting friable asbestos-containing material into a non-friable mass which is economical.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.